adg211288 Shadows (2014) is the second full-length by German power metal act Sinbreed. These guys can be considered a pretty big deal on the German power metal scene due to a pretty major artist connection they have: Blind Guardian. While drummer Frederik Ehmke has been with Sinbreed since they were known as Neoshine and played on their debut When Worlds Collide (2010) from 2012 onwards the band has also featured Marcus Siepen in their line-up as a second guitarist, bringing them up to a five piece act.

It probably will come as no surprise then that Sinbreed are an example of German power metal in near enough its purest form. There's a slight thrash metal edge to some of the guitar riffs on Shadows that I didn't detect on When Worlds Collide but since German power metal is known for its more aggressive guitar driven approach this may be more of a fluke than a conscious decision on the band's part, although they certainly are there either way, particularly during the title track. Other than that Shadows is a more of the same album from Sinbreed but seeing as When Worlds Collide is one of the best pure power metal albums of recent years that's certainly what I've been wanting to hear from Sinbreed again.

And I have to say they've delivered another exceptionally strong power metal album, although it is a case where I have found I enjoyed the debut a bit more. Songs like the pre-release numbers Bleed and Call to Arms are easy favourites that stand up to anything that appeared on the debut. If you like your power metal to be furious in sound but still with a strong sense of melody and epic vocals then Sinbreed are an act you can't go far wrong with, for either of their releases up until this point. They embody everything that makes this particular branch of the genre so great. There are a couple of tracks that don't hit the spot the same way on Shadows, London Moon being filler by comparison, but those are still pretty praiseworthy tracks and overall it's an easy 4.5 star album that will keep both fans of the debut and newcomers to Sinbreed alike happy. Hell even with a few slightly lesser songs it's so close to making my top tier. Power metal does not get much more essential than these guys.